BHOPAL: All government doctors, under the banner of Government and  also the Autonomous Doctors’ Federation of the district in the state, will go on indefinite strike from February 17 in a bid to press for their demand of a dynamic assured career progression (DACP) for government doctors in the state.

 Almost 10,000 doctors from all over Madhya Pradesh participated in the protest, which started at the Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal.

Until the state administration accedes to their demands, medical services at primary and community health centres as well as district-level hospitals in remote and rural areas will also be suspended.

According to a young doctor affiliated with Hamidia hospital, OPD services have been suspended in hospitals, and doctors have threatened to stop providing emergency care as well. On Thursday as well, numerous hospitals discontinued some of their services.

Notably, the alarm rings have been sounding for almost a month as doctors have been threatening to go on strike and they have begun a statewide mobilization rally under the banner of the Madhya Pradesh government and autonomous doctors' federation dubbed as 'Chikitsa Bachao - Chikitsak Bachao'. From January 27 to February 7 the doctors held rallies across the state.

The federation is made up of doctors from each of the 13 medical schools that are part of the directorate of medical education. Doctors affiliated with the MP health department, from primary care clinics to specialists in district hospitals, as well as the ESI and home department, the Bhopal gas relief and rehabilitation linked doctors, are all involved in the combined effort.

"We have been attempting to get the government's attention for more than a month, but the administration's strategy left us with little choice except to halt all services, including emergency care in all government hospitals. To address the problems that practically all states have enacted in favour of doctors, we have sought involvement "the Medical Education Officers Association's secretary, Dr. Rakesh Malviya.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called an emergency meeting with top officials late on Thursday after sensing that the doctors' strike would cause a catastrophe.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with the Collectors and Commissioners through video conferencing at the residence office, Samatva Bhavan, late last night and got information about the health facilities in government hospitals and medical colleges," the CMO tweeted on Friday.

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